Seven questions

Irina Korolenko
Morning show broadcaster,
FEBC-Ukraine 

 

Listener interaction is important to you. How do you prepare for this response?

We have 7 FM stations and broadcast our programs online as well. There are millions of potential listeners. And some programs will have thousands of views immediately after being aired online in addition to our radio broadcast. This is a lot of opportunity for responses.

People call in, text, and respond over social media. The hosts communicate with people during and after their programs and we have experienced follow-up counselors who call or write back to listeners who need more extensive help and to ensure that everyone receives the help they need.

One person wrote in to say they were an atheist but found it interesting to watch and find out what they were saying. Another listener said they were suicidal. Our follow-up worker talked with him and ultimately connected him with the pastor of a church in his city so that they could meet and talk, and the listener agreed to try attending the church.

 

What kind of show do you host?

I co-host of a variety breakfast show with Max. We want people to start off their days on a positive note, so we give them a thought or a quote and talk with our audience about it throughout the program. They call in or write in through social media to discuss. We want them thinking about things they would never normally consider throughout their days.

 

Our main goal is to build a connection with our listeners. We give out prizes and gifts and give an open invitation for anyone to come by the studio. We want listeners to feel like they are family.

 

How did you feel when your own family first began attending an evangelical church?

I was going to university in Kiev when I heard that my mother and my sister had been going to a Christian church. I was 17 at the time. I was a little worried, so I came home during my break to see what kind of church it was.

 

I went to church with them that Sunday and saw that it was okay. It wasn’t weird. A month later I was already plugged into the church. It was what I was looking for without knowing it.

I was lucky. It was really easy for me. God had been working on my heart

 

What is one thing you would like for your listeners to try?

To attend a local church. People have many preconceptions about the evangelical church, so we first get them comfortable with us. We give them a glimpse of our lives through the broadcasts and through social media. We let them see that we are living our lives and dealing with the same things they are.

 

They get to see what having a loving community around you is like. How we support each other and live life together. I also post videos from my church services so that people can see what they are really like.

 

People have commented with surprise at how joyful and friendly it seemed. They expect it to be somber and boring. We encourage people to attend a local church and help them find one in their area.

 

Can you tell us about a listener who responded in an unexpected way?

I recently had a girl reach out to me. She was a guest on our show three years ago. We invited nonbelievers along with a pastor and they had an interesting conversation. I talked to her after the show, told her about God and invited her to church. She wasn’t interested.

 

Three years later, she wrote to me saying she was lost in the material world, she was tired and wanted something spiritual. It’s very exciting. She saw my Instagram videos. And now we are planning to go to church together next Sunday.

Usually when people in Ukraine talk about spiritual things, they are talking about weird things—meditation, cosmic energy. I am very pleased that people now come to us when they are looking for spirituality.

 

How do Ukrainians see evangelical Christianity?

Some people think it’s a cult. Some think it’s all about money. Many people in Ukraine call themselves Christians, but for the most part it’s nominal. People aren’t sure what to think.

One listener wrote in to say that they were an atheist but found it interesting to listen to our program. They wanted to hear what we had to say.

We want to remove the stigma around evangelical Christianity. We talk to our listeners in their language, avoiding any church slang that might make them feel left out.

Our goal is to make connections with our listeners and share the gospel, everything else is in God’s hands. We trust Him and do our best.

 

How is your relationship with God changing?

Recently God has been working with me about peace. I was running around, working for God, always participating in the church, but found myself losing my connection with God. I now spend more personal time with God. Resting in Him. Spending time in His word and listening to Him.

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